Best HelloFresh Alternatives UK (2025)

Looking for a HelloFresh alternative? Whether you want ready-to-eat meals instead of cooking, better variety, or just something different - here are the best options in the UK.

Service Type Price Best For
HomeCooks Ready meals From £7.50 No cooking, max variety
Gousto Recipe kit From £3.20 Recipe variety
Mindful Chef Recipe kit From £5.00 Dietary requirements
Frive Ready meals From £7.99 Macro-balanced nutrition
Simmer Eats Ready meals From £7.49 Convenience

The Best HelloFresh Alternatives

1

HomeCooks

Our Pick
Price: From £7.50/meal Menu: 200+ dishes Type: Ready meals (no cooking)

If you're looking for a HelloFresh alternative because you don't have time to cook, HomeCooks is the answer. Instead of recipe kits that still require 20-45 minutes of cooking, HomeCooks delivers chef-prepared meals that are ready in 3-4 minutes.

What sets HomeCooks apart is variety. While HelloFresh has 50+ recipes and most meal prep services have 20-30, HomeCooks offers 200+ dishes from independent chefs across the UK. Every meal is made in small batches - no factory production lines.

Pros

  • No cooking - ready in 3-4 minutes
  • 200+ dishes - most variety in UK
  • 30-60g protein per meal
  • Made by independent chefs

Cons

  • Delivery days limited (Tues/Fri)
  • You don't get to cook
Try HomeCooks
2

Gousto

Best Recipe Variety
Price: From £3.20/serving Menu: 175+ recipes/week Type: Recipe kit (you cook)

If you enjoy cooking but want more recipe choice than HelloFresh, Gousto is a strong alternative. With 175+ recipes per week compared to HelloFresh's 50+, you'll have far more options to choose from.

Gousto is also known for being flexible - easy to pause, skip weeks, or cancel without the hassle some competitors have. Pricing is similar to HelloFresh, ranging from £3.20 to £10.25 per portion depending on your box size.

Pros

  • 175+ recipes per week
  • Flexible subscription
  • Various dietary options

Cons

  • 15-45 mins cooking time per meal
  • Washing up after cooking
  • Packaging waste
Read Gousto Review
3

Mindful Chef

Best for Dietary Needs
Price: From £5.00/serving Menu: 20+ recipes/week Type: Recipe kit (you cook)

If you're leaving HelloFresh because of dietary restrictions, Mindful Chef might be your answer. All their recipes are gluten-free and dairy-free by default - something HelloFresh can't match.

They're B Corp certified with a focus on quality ingredients and sustainability. The menu is smaller (20+ recipes vs HelloFresh's 50+) but every option meets their health standards.

Pros

  • All recipes gluten-free & dairy-free
  • Quality ingredients
  • B Corp certified

Cons

  • Premium pricing
  • Smaller menu (20+ vs 175+)
  • 20-40 mins cooking + washing up
Read Mindful Chef Review
4

Frive

Macro-Balanced
Price: From £7.99/meal Menu: 27 mains Type: Ready meals (no cooking)

Frive is a ready meal alternative if you want no cooking like HomeCooks, but with a specific focus on macro-balanced nutrition. Their meals are nutritionist-approved with natural ingredients and no artificial additives.

The menu is smaller than HomeCooks (27 mains vs 200+), but if you're specifically tracking macros for fitness goals, Frive is designed with that in mind.

Pros

  • No cooking required
  • Macro-balanced meals
  • Natural ingredients

Cons

  • Limited variety (27 mains)
  • Factory production
  • Subscription commitment required
Read Frive Review
5

Simmer Eats

Budget Ready Meals
Price: From £7.49/meal + £6.99 delivery Menu: 22 dishes (50+ rotating) Type: Ready meals (no cooking)

Simmer Eats offers ready-to-eat meals at a competitive price point. Meals are ready in 3 minutes with protein content of 30-50g per serving. They've built a reputation for tasty, convenient meals.

The menu is smaller than HomeCooks with 22 dishes available at a time, and there's a £6.99 delivery fee on every order to factor in.

Pros

  • No cooking required
  • Competitive pricing
  • 30-50g protein

Cons

  • Limited variety (22 dishes)
  • Subscription model only
  • Factory production
Read Simmer Eats Review

HelloFresh Alternatives Compared

Service Cooking? Menu Size Price Protein
HelloFresh Yes (20-45 mins) 50+ recipes From £3.15 Varies
HomeCooks No (3-4 mins) 200+ dishes From £7.50 30-60g
Gousto Yes (10-50 mins) 175+ recipes From £3.20 Varies
Mindful Chef Yes (20-40 mins) 20+ recipes From £5.00 Varies
Frive No (3 mins) 27 mains From £7.99 Varies
Simmer Eats No (3 mins) 22 dishes From £7.49 30-50g

Frequently Asked Questions

What's better than HelloFresh UK?

It depends what you're looking for. If you want more recipe choice, Gousto offers 175+ recipes vs HelloFresh's 50+. If you'd rather not cook at all, HomeCooks delivers 200+ ready-to-eat meals made by independent chefs.

What's a cheaper alternative to HelloFresh?

For recipe kits, Gousto starts from £3.20/serving. However, when you factor in the time spent cooking (20-45 minutes), ready meal services like HomeCooks (from £7.50) may offer better value for busy people.

Is there a HelloFresh alternative with no cooking?

Yes - HomeCooks, Frive, and Simmer Eats all deliver ready-to-eat meals that require no cooking. HomeCooks has the largest menu (200+ dishes) and is made by independent chefs rather than factory production.

What's a healthy HelloFresh alternative?

For recipe kits, Mindful Chef specialises in gluten-free, dairy-free meals. For ready meals with high protein (30-60g per meal), HomeCooks offers nutritionist-approved, chef-prepared options.

Ready to skip the cooking?

HomeCooks offers 200+ chef-prepared meals with 30-60g protein. Made by independent chefs across the UK in small batches. Ready in 3-4 minutes.

Try HomeCooks

More Comparisons

Find the right meal service for you